Method of opening cans



April 1940- c. A. ARNESEN METHOD OF OPENING CANS NvEI. N-rd Cfiar/o/fe646%?656/7 Filed Feb. 8, 1939 Patented Apr. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Ms'rnon or orsmc. cans Charlotte a. was, Chicago. n1.

Application February 8,1939, Serial n zsssos 6 Claims. 30-15) an annularspace disposed'externally of the canand fashioned to promote thecircumferential severance of the seam by means of a cutting implement.

The primary object of the invention is to pro- 5 vide for the opening ofa container by severing a double interlocking seam and forming as anincident to the severance of the metal of a seem a removable frictionslip cover for the container.

-A further object is to provide for the severance of the seam externallyof the can so as to form a removable slip cover and to eifectsimultaneously with the severance of the metal a circumferentialexpansion of the portion of the seam forming the skirt of the coverwhereby to facilitate removal of the cover.

The objects of the invention thus generally stated together with otherand ancillary advantages are obtained by the construction andarrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawing showing theinvention in a preferred embodiment.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevationel view of my improvedcontainer. 1

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing one end portionof the container body and an associated end member in assembled rela-'tion .but before being secured together.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustratingthe first step of thedouble seaming ,opera--;

tion, the roller being shown partially in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the. final seam.

sealing operation and illustrating the. formation of an annular beadproviding the. aforesaid severing operation.

Fig. 5 is a side elevatiohal view of a cutter applied to the containerin position to perform the severing operation.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximatelyinthe plane of line 0-4 of Fig. 5 but on a somewhat larger scale.

The novel methodof opening cans is illustrated in connection with acontainer of the type shown and claimed in my said copending application56 and comprising a cylindrical body l with end members 9 (one only eingshown) united with the body by means of seams in and H. The bottom seaml0 may be of usual construction. The top seam H, is a conventionalupstanding 7 double interlocking seam modifiedto facilitate the Icircumferential severance of the seam externally of the cylindricalbody, and for this purpose the outer layer of the seam is fashioned soas to define an annular space adapted to receive the point of a cuttingimplement, so that in opening 10 the can it is onlynecessary topenetrate a-single layer of metal without obstruction to the cutter fromany other part of the seam.

Referring now to Fig. 4, a cutter-receiving space it is provided throughthe provision of an annular ll bead l2 projecting radially from thebottom portion of the seam. The head thus forms a downwardly facingshoulder l2 radially enlarged to facilitate engagement by the cuttingedge of an implement bearing upon the upper edge of the go seam.

The can body is initially formed with an outwardly projecting flange I,(Fig. 2) and the cover section I is formedwith a central depressionproviding a vertical annular portion ll of 25 an external diametercorresponding with the internal diameter of the can body. Projectingoutwardly from the upper end of the annular portion I! is a peripheralportion or flange it of a width substantially greater than the bodyflange 30 I4 and terminating ira downwardly and inwardly turned curl l1.I8 designates the usual gasket of rubber composition or other suitablesealing material applied to the peripheralportion I of the end member,this gasket being 35 omitted from Fig. 4 for the sake of clearness.

After the parts have been assembled as shown in Fig. 2 the first step ofthe seeming operation is performed, substantially as in the well knownmanner. In this operation a forming roller I9 engages with the outersurface of the flange l6, curling the same inwardly. In this formingoper-- ation, the body flange I4 is bent downwardly in the form of a lippresenting a cylindrical outer face and the curled edge portion I1 isbent in 45 wardly and upwardly between the flange l4 and the side wall8.

In the next and final sealing operation shown in Fig. 4, a roller 20'having a specially shaped forming groove 2| in its periphery is applied50 to the now rounded flange i 6 of the end memher so as to force theseveral parts tightly together, with the terminal portion I 1 betweenthe wall 8 and the flange l4, and with the flange ll interlocked tightlybetween the cover flange 5 II and its terminal portion I'I. At the sametime the bead I2 is formed, providing the annular cutter-receiving spaceI 3. It will of course be understood that in accordance with commonpractice an inner driving member or chuck (not shown) engages with theannular vertical wall portion I5 50 as to cooperate with the outer rollsin the formation of a tight seam.

In accordance with the present invention the can is opened by insertinga cutter through the layer of metal forming the bottom wall I2 of theannular space I3 and relatively moving the cutter and can so as toeffect a circumferential severance of the seam at a point below the topthereof thereby forming a friction slip cover for the can. To facilitateremoval of the cover the outer severed edge portion of the seam isforced outwardly with a circumferentially expanding movement, breakingthe seal formed by the gasket I8. The term bottom as applied to the wallof the bead is used for the sake of brevity in the present descriptionand claims to designate the wall I2 on the bead which lies at the end ofthe bead adjacent the body of the can as distinguished from thatadjacent the end of the can.

In performing the opening operation a suitable cutting implement isemployed. Such implement may take various forms, but essentially thearrangement is such that as an incident to performing the cuttingoperation the outer severed portion of the seam is forced or spreadoutwardly away from the adjacent body flange I4 as shown in Fig. 6.Herein, I have shown a rotary cutter 22 rotatably mounted in a bracket23 and shiftable relative to the bracket and in a direction parallelwith the side wall of the can body into and out of penetrating relationto the cutter receiving space I3.

The bracket 23 is guided for movement circumferentially of the canduring the cutting operation, and for this purpose is formed at itsupper end with a hook 24 engageable slidably with the upper and innerfaces of the double seam as shown in Fig. 6, and with a pair of bearinglugs 25 on opposite sides of the hook portion adapted to engage slidablywith the top surface of the seam. At its lower end the bracket has aflange 26 arranged to bear upon the outer cylindrical face of the canbody.

The cutter 22 has a hub 21 journ alled in a bushing 28 which in turn isrotatably mounted in the bracket 23. The hub 21 is arranged to berotated manually, to impart a rotary motion to the cutter, by anysuitable means such as a handle 29 fixed to the outer end of the hub asby a screw 30 and suitably held against rotation relative to the hub. Asshown, the handle 29 is in the nature of a double-winged key forconvenience in manipulation.

The cutter is preferably shaped (Fig. 6), to provide a beveled outerface 3| and a knurled inner face 32 perpendicular to the axis of thecutter; and. formed integral with the cutter at the inner side thereofis a bearing disk 33 for engagement with the under surface of theshoulder portion I2 of the hollow bead I2, it being observed that thishearing disk is disposed in opposed relation to the underside 24 of thehook 24 at the upper end of the bracket.

For the purpose of shifting the cutter bodily a predetermined distanceinto and out of penetrating relation to the space I3, the hub 21 thereofis mounted eccentrically in the bushing 28 as shown clearly in Fig. 6,and means is provided for rotating the bushing relative to the bracket.This means comprises in the present instance a lever 34 having at oneend an enlarged portion 35 apertured to receive the hub and suitablyfastened to the hub in nonrotatable relation thereto. At its oppositeend the lever has a handle portion 38, and the arrangement is such thatin the movement of the lever from the position shown in broken lines inFig. 5 to the full line position or through approximately 180 degrees,the cutter 22 is shifted from a position slightly below the shoulder I2of the seam through the bottom wall of the space I3 and into theposition shown in Fig. 6 where it is held by the dead center action ofthe eccentric.

In the operation of opening the improved can, the implement is appliedthereto with the lever 34 in the position shown in broken lines in Fig.5 and with the cutter in its lowered position. Thereupon the lever 34 isoperated to revolve the bushing 28 and, due to the eccentric mounting ofthe cutter relative to the bushing, as the lever moves into the fullline position shown in Fig. 5, the cutter is forced a predetermineddistance through the bottom wall of the space I3 and into the positionshown in Fig. 6. Thereupon the key handle 29 is rotated, and in suchrotation the knurled face 32 bitingly engages with the inner edge of thesevered layer of metal with the result that the implement movescircumferentially of the can body.

It will be understood that the proportions of the parts are such that asthe cutter 22 is forced into cutting relation to the seam, the beveledsurface 3| thereof acts upon the outer severed edge of the layer ofmetal penetrated, folding the same upwardlyagainst the top wall of thebead I2. At the same time, the beveled edge portion of the cutter forcesthe flange 2| progressively outwardly with a wedging action to effect acircumferential expansion of the flange. Such expansion of the flangeserves to disrupt the seal afforded by the gasket I8 and thusfacilitates removal of the end wall in the form of a removable slipcover of which the flange 2I forms the depending outer skirt or lip. Itwill, of course, be understood that in the drawing, and particularly inFig. 6, the parts are shown on a substantially enlarged scale so thatthe amount of clearance shown between the flange 2I and the adjacentbody flange I4 is apparently exaggerated. In actual practice, theclearance is just sufficient to insure disruption of the seal. After thecover has been completely severed, it may be replaced upon the can forreclosure-purposes, with the inner flange portion I5 fitting snugly intothe upper end of the body and the outer flange portion 2I encircling thebody flange I 4.

It will also be observed that in the operation of removing the end wallor cover the inner severed edge of the wall portion I 2 of the body isfolded around the lower edge of the body flange I4. In the travel of thecutter circumferentially of the can, this folded edge is severed by theknurled inner face of the cutter and is serrated thereby as an incidentto the pressure of the knurled face against the edge of the metal. Theresult is that any sharp edges which might otherwise protrude areeffectually eliminated. At the same time the outer edge of the severedlayer of metal is folded upwardly so as to eliminate any sharp edges onthe cover portion. Thus the cutter operates to fold the severed edgeporin the case of the body tions backwardly against adjoining parts,both and the cover, so as to avoid danger of cutting the user.

No claim is herein made to the cutting implement shown and described,such implement being claimed in my copending application Serial No.205,159, filed April 30, 1938.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of removing an end wall of a can in which the end wall andthe body are united in a double interlocking seam composed of a bodyflange and an interlocking flange on the end wall fashioned to form anarrow, outwardly protruding bead providing an annular cutter penetrablespace in said seam externally of the can body, which comprises insertinga cutter through the portion of the seam forming the bottom wall of saidbead and between the body flange and the adjacent flange of the endvwall, relatively rotating the can and the cutter circumferentially ofthe can to sever the bottom of the bead, and progressively forcing theflange on the end wall outwardly away from the body flange.

2. The method of removing an end wall of a can 'in which the end walland the body are united in a double interlocking seam composed of a bodyflange and an interlocking flange on the end wall fashioned to providean annular space at the bottom of the seam, which comprises inserting' acutter through the bottom of the seam into said space, and, while movingthe cutter circumferentially of the can, severing the bottom of the seamand simultaneously folding the inner severed edge portion of the flangeon the end wall upwardly around the lower edge of the body flange.

3. The method of removing an end wall of a can in which the end wall andthe body are united in a double interlocking seam composed of a bodyflange and an interlocking flange on the end wall fashioned to form anoutwardly projecting bead providing an annular space in the bottomportion of the seam, which comprises inserting a cutter through thebottom of the seam into said space and between the body flange and theadjacent flange of the end wall, and, while moving the cuttercircumferentially of the can, severing the bottom of the seam andsimultaneously forcing the flange on the end wall outwardly away fromthe body flange and folding the inner severed edge portion of the endwall flange upwardly around the lower edge of thebody flange.

4. The method of removing an end wall of a can in which the end wall andthe body are united in a double'interlocking seam composed of a bodyflange and an interlocking flange on the end wall fashioned to form anoutwardly projecting bead providing an annular space in the bottomportion of the seam, which comprises inserting a cutter through thebottom of the seam into said space and between the body flange and theadjacent flange oi the end wall, and, while moving the cuttercircumferentially of the can, severing the bottom of the seam andsimultaneously folding the severed edge portions of the end wall flangeupwardly one against the top wall of the bead and the other against thelower edge of the body flange.

5. The method of removing an end wall of a can in which the end wall andthe body are united in an upstanding double interlocking seam fashionedto form a narrow outwardly protruding bead providing an annular cutterpenetrable space in said seam externally of the can body, whichcomprises inserting the cutting edge of a cutter upwardly through theportion of the seam forming the bottom wall of the bead, and relativelyrotating the can and cutter with the cutting edge penetrating said spaceso as to sever the metal of the seam circumferentially.

6. The method of removing the top wall of a can in which said wall isunited to the body in an upstanding double interlocking seam composed ofa reversely bent flange on the body and a flange on the top wallinterlocked with the body flange, which comprises forcing the cuttingedge of a cutter upwardly through the bottom of the seam into a positionbetween the body flange and the overlying layer of metal forming a partof the end wall' flange so as to force said layer outwardly from thebody flange, and relatively rotating the can and cutter while holdingthe cutter in said position whereby to sever the seam circumferentially.I

CHARLO'I'I'E A. ARNESEN.

